Online Aerosol Size and Composition Measurements in Coastal Antarctica

Aerosol particles play a critical role in the chemical and radiative balance of the Antarctic atmosphere. Aerosols are both a source and sink of gas phase constituents, as well as a transport mechanism for oceanic chemical species into the continental interior. The interaction between aerosols, the gas phase, sea ice and the snow pack is complex and not well understood. Recent observations of ozone depletion events coupled with submicron aerosol mass increase highlight the interaction between the gas and particle phases. These interactions can lead to aerosol formation as well as the deposition of trace elements to the snow pack. To determine the composition and source regions of aerosols in the coastal Antarctic atmosphere, a suite of instruments was deployed in the 2014 Antarctic measurement season including a High Resolution Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS), Ultra High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Ozone analyzer, Scanning Electrical Mobility Sizer (SEMS), and Particle-into-Liquid Sampler (PILS). Measurements of gas phase constituents and aerosol composition were interpreted in the context of back trajectories and local meteorological conditions to link the measured air masses to their source regions.